The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-02-24
LITTLE BEN.

IOU lAko A1Ao VILE you 20 E3ts 1<uUlet
Not allowed to carry any Passen-
GERS" said the captain, eruffiy, without
looking up from his desk.
The tugTboat Staver, with her tow Of
barges. was lying at the bank at Cairo.
Ill. She was the only boat In sight that
showed any sign of life; all the others
were laid up Tor the winter; navigation
was perilous- The great river was
choked and full of huge masses.ef float
ing ice, and ali the land was deep with
snow and sleet 1t was intensely cold.
1t was the 22d of December.
Il didn't mean to go as q passenger,
said the voice Il Thought maybe you.
might let me work my way along with
the crew."
mo; got all the hands We want 1
believe" said the captain, busy with
his bills.
Captain. I'll work mighty hard
captain. please, can't ] go with you,
sir7" He tried TO speak bravely. but it
was painfully evident that he was fore
ing back sob.
The captain finished his waybill and
looked up at his visitor.
swell, be d-mr' said the cap
tain.
It was very small boy who had Of
fered his services TO the captain; q lad
with the face and features of IL delicate
girl. His soft, dark hair hung in wave
lets about his neck. His cheeks were
pinched and shrunken as if from illness,
His clothing was scant and thin. He
was trembling with cold, and his wide,
brown eyes had in them look so inn
ploring that the captain, as soon as he
had recovered from his establishment,
told him to come into his office and get
warm.
Il know I'm mighty little, captain"
said the boy as he stood by the stove.
:'but I'm twelve years old. and III
work hard as anybody. sir."
That's all right, sonny" said the
captain. Whats your name, any
how?''
Ben" answered the boy.
$50 you want 10 go TO st. Louis, do
you. Benz. What do you want TO go
there fort
The boS looked at the bluff officer a
moment. and then he said:
''lts almost Christmas. and l prom
ised mother was coming home. Moth
er lives in St. Louis.
His simple words touched the cap
tain. The captains mother lived in
St Louis, too, and he was trying to
reach home in time to spend the holi-
days with her.
s.Well, what's the NATTER" asked the
captsin. '.Ain't you got no money?
Set down here. little chap. and tell US
about it. Looks like you've been haV-
ing pretty tough time.
The boy sat down, and the captain
by much questioning obtained his story.
His parents had resided in New Or
leans. He was born there. His father
was an artist who made a sufficient
income to support his family in COM
fort and to send his son to q musical
school. Two years before his father
died suddenly and his mother moved
to ST. Louis. where she invested her
funds in trade and opened modest
little millinery establishment in one OF
the poorer sections of the CITY. Busi-
but she managed by dint of saving to
keep her boy at school.
a never knew but what mother had
plenty ofmoney." said the boy, in. his
simple way. ''She always gave me
everything wanted, till one day last
summer she came to my room, and
was singing and playing ION my quiz
tar''-large tear drops had been slowly
forming in the boys eyes; ne hastily
brushed them away with the back II
his hand. She looked so pretty" he
said, 'that ran up to her and kissed
her. She was smiling when she came
in my room. but when j kiss ed her she
laid her head on my shoulder and cried,
and it nearly killed me; l never saw
mother cry before. And she. said she
was Just nervous and nothing was the
matter; but made her tell me, and she
said her money was nearly gore and
she was afraid ] would have to stop
music lessons. And told her not to
cry, cause I'd make money for her. and,
captain, done it, too. :" There was a
tone of triumph in his voice, and for a
moment his pale face flashed with con-
scious pride.
al never told mother what was GO
ing to dol knew she wouldn't let me
but took my guitar and went out of
the house, and then / wrote mother a
note and told her / was going away for
a little while. and would write to her
every day and send her money.
walked fromo town TO another all
the summer, and in the evenings used
to stand on the. corner and sing, and
people gave me lots of money ! sent
it all 10 mother, except little kept to
pay my board. told mother l was in
business. I never said what business
1 made plenty of money in the summer
time, but when the weather got chilly
didn't make so much, and sent it all
10 mother, and sometimes slept out
doors. And theniI got sick and / had
chills every day, and they shook me all
to pieces, and couldn't sing like ]
used to and people stopped paying me,
and sold my guitar to a man. and ]
sent the money to mother.
And every letterII got from Emother
she was begging me to come home, and
she said she did mott need my money
and business was getting good, but you
see, captain, she fooled me once before.
knew she would say anything to get
me back, but the last letter 1 wrote her
i told her was coming home and I'd
be there for Christmas. And yesterday
and last night walked all the way
from Paducah through the snow, and,
captain, can't walk any more"
He had forgotten his present trouble
in the recital of his adventures. He
seemed suddenly to remember his posi-
ton. He looked at the captain with
great, pleading eyes.
Captain" he almost sobbed, '.rll
work. Please, sir, let me got" and
then the little chap broke down, and
the tears had to come.
The captain got up and had to look
through the little window. He blew his
nose ana wiped IL carefully. linen ne
sat down again.
"WeI. WE'LL" he SAID, 81 wouldn't
cry about it sonny. reckon we can
fix it for you, expect you do want to
see your mother sure huff"
THANK you, sir" said the boy. dry
ing his eyes, 81 never viii forget your
kindness. captain, and now I'm ready
for work"
The captain looked at the boy and
laughed.
''You needn't do anything, sonny,
just stay aboard and make yourself
comfortable"
But the boy persisted, and the cap
tain told him to go below and do what
eve- the mate commanded.
An hour later the Stayer was making
the best of her way up the ice-tilled
turbulent Mississippi. and the captain
had nearly forgotten about the boy. He
worked with the crew. pulling on sleety,
frozen ropes. wheeling coal to the fur
nace. doing whatever the men would
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